Shoe-tree.



No. 676,505. r Patented June l8, I90l, F. W. &. G. J.K|TTL|NGER.

S H 0 E T B E E.

(Application filed Oct. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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FREDERICK \V. KITTLINGER AND GEORGE J. KITTLINGER, OF BROOKLYN, NEWVYORK.

SHOE-TREE.

SPECEFIGATION forming part of Letters Paten No. 676,505, dated I 18,1901.

Application filed October 24, 1900. Serial No. 34,129. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK W. KITT- LINGER and GEORGE J. KITTLINGER,citizens of the United States, and residents of Brooklyn, in thecountyof Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Shoe-Trees, of which the following is aspecification. I

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a simpleand efficient means for filling or stretching shoes wherebymanufacturers may send the shoes out with fillers or trees therein,which trees may afterward be used by the consumer for keeping the shoesin shape.

One advantage of the tree forming the present invention is that eachtree may be used with shoes of different sizes.

The invention consists in features of construction, parts, improvements,and combinations, which will be described hereinafter and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims concluding this specification.

The preferred form'of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side View, partlyin section, of a tree in which the invention is embodied. Figs. 2, 3, 4,and 5 are detail views of parts shown in Fig. 1.

The tree or form includes toe and heel sections at b, which are unitedin such wise that in the preferred form they may be collapsed forinsertion and withdrawal and may also be locked against such collapsingwhen within the shoe.

In the drawings, 0 is a recess in section a, into which a metal nut d isforced and held by friction. Preferably the nut 01 has its metal forcedinwardly, as at e, to form an internal fin or segment of a screw-thread.Section a is also recessed at f to form a guide'way for the guide-arm g,which is hinged to section b, a cross-piece h preventing thedisengagement of the arm g from the guideway f. The

guides f g prevent rotation of either section a b about the axis of thetree or a line parallel, or substantially so, thereto. Section I) isrecessed att' to receive a nut j, similar to nut d, and at 7; section bis cut away clear across to provide space for the fingers when operatingthe means for causing relative motion of sections a Z) in the directionof the axis of the tree and to permit the section Z) to be thrown up tothe position thereof shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

Two screws Z 172 are connected by a hinge or pin a in such wise thatthey may have motion in one plane about said pin and are locked therebyagainst motion in any other plane. Screws Z on are right and left orreversescrews, and one of them has a disk 0, fast thereto, whereby thetwo screws may be rotated to work in nuts 01 j to force sections a Z)away from or toward each other. The notchesp in the periphery of disk 0indicate whether the pin n is in position such that the section b can beturned to the position thereof shown in full lines in Fig. 1 or is inthe position shown in Fig. 4, in which latter case the section b islocked against any but slight motion about thehinge, there being someplay usually at the pin.

A string or other means may be attached to section b to provide meansfor drawing that section up to the position shown in Fig. 1 when it isdesired to remove the tree from the shoe. The toe-section may behollowed out underneath, as indicated by the reference-letterr, tosecure greater lightness of the tree.

In the use of this invention the section b is turned to the positionthereof shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the screws Z m having beenmanipulated previously to draw sections a I) together, and the tree isthen inserted in the shoe, after which section b is turned to positionI), and then the double screw is rotated by means of disk 0 to move thesections a h apart until they bear firmly against the toe and heelsections, as in position 13 By leaving pin n vertical after placing thetree in the shoe a lock is provided, which prevents the sections a bfrom getting out of alinement with each other. It is obvious that oneand the same tree may be used with shoes of different sizes within thelimits of motion of the sections toward and from each other. Screws Z mmay engage nuts formed integrally with the wood of thesections a 1)Without departing from the claims herein.

What is claimed as new is 1. Ashoe-t-ree comprising independent heel andtoe sections, reverse-screws hinged together and engaging said sections,and means for preventing the sections from turning independently on saidscrews, substantially as described.

2. Ashoe-tree comprisingindependent heel and toe sections,reverse-screws hinged together and engaging with said sections, and abar or rod hinged to the heel-section and slidable in a slot in thetoe-section, substantially as described.

3. Ashoe-tree comprisingindependent heel and toe sections,reverse-screws hinged together and engaging with said sections, and anindicator on one of said screws for showing the position of the hinge,substantially as described.

4. Ashoe-treecomprisingindependent heel and toe sections, means forcausing motion of said sections toward and from each other, said meansbeing provided with a hinge, whereby the sections maybe turned about atransverse axis, and means for preventing relative motion of thesections on any transverse axis except a horizontal one. substantiallyas described.

5. A shoe-tree comprising independent heel and toe sections, and ahinged connection between said sections, said hinged connection beingscrew-threaded and arranged to be rotated about an axis substantiallyparallel with the longitudinal axis of the tree, substantially asdescribed.

6L Ashoe-tree comprising independent heel and toe sections, a hingedscrewthreaded connection between said sections, said hinged connectionbeing arranged to be rotated about an axis substantially parallel withthe longitudinal axis of the tree, and means for preventing saidsections from turning independently about the said axis of the tree,substantially as described.

7. Ashes-tree comprisingindependent heel and toe sections,reverse-screws hinged together and engaging with said sections, and ahand piece on one of said screws, whereby the screws may be turned whenthe tree is in place in a shoe or boot, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 23d day of October, A. D. 1900.

FREDERICK \V. KITTLINGER. GEORGE J. KITTLINGER. XV itnesses:

RICHARD W. BARKLEY, Gus. O. HENNING.

